Infrared enhanced pulsed solar simulator

Abstract

A pulsed solar simulator, and corresponding methods of solar simulation, consists of one or more mirrors and a flashlamp adjacent to the one or more mirrors. The flashlamp produces pulsed light beams comprising wavelengths from 400 nm to 1800 nm, wherein one or more primary pulsed light beams are directed at a target and one or more secondary pulsed light beams are directed at respective ones of the one or more mirrors and are directed toward the target as one or more reflected pulsed light beams by respective ones of the one or more mirrors. And, one or more respective spectral filters are positioned such that the one or more reflected pulsed light beams comprise light having a desired wavelength spectrum directed at the target. The one or more reflected pulsed light beams provide enhanced irradiation in the desired wavelength spectrum at the target compared to the irradiation provided by the one or more primary pulsed light beams alone.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A pulsed solar simulator comprising: 
       one or more mirrors;  
       a flashlamp adjacent to the one or more mirrors for producing pulsed light beams comprising wavelengths from 400 nm to 1800 nm, wherein one or more primary pulsed light beams are directed at substantially an entire testing surface of a target and each of one or more secondary pulsed light beams are directed at respective ones of one or more mirrors and are each directed toward substantially the entire testing surface of the target as one or more reflected pulsed light beams by the respective ones of the one or more mirrors;  
       wherein the one or more reflected pulsed light beams provide enhanced irradiation at substantially the entire testing surface of the target compared to the irradiation provided by the one or more primary pulsed light beams alone.  
     
     
       2. The pulsed solar simulator of  claim 1  further comprising another flashlamp for producing additional pulsed light beams, wherein one or more additional primary pulsed light beams are directed at the target. 
     
     
       3. The pulsed solar simulator of  claim 2  further comprising one or more additional mirrors located adjacent to the other flashlamp, wherein one or more additional secondary pulsed light beams directed from said other flashlamp to respective ones of the one or more additional mirrors are directed as one or more additional reflected pulsed light beams toward said target by the one or more additional mirrors. 
     
     
       4. The pulsed solar simulator of  claim 3  further comprising one or more additional respective spectral filters positioned such that said one or more additional reflected pulsed light beams comprise light having an additional desired wavelength spectrum directed at the target, wherein said one or more additional reflected pulsed light beams provide enhanced irradiation in the additional desired wavelength spectrum at said target. 
     
     
       5. The pulsed solar simulator of  claim 1  wherein said one or more mirrors comprise one or more planar mirrors directing one or more uniformly reflected pulsed light beams toward said target. 
     
     
       6. The pulsed solar simulator of  claim 1  further comprising one or more respective spectral filters positioned such that said one or more reflected pulsed light beams comprise light having a desired wavelength spectrum, wherein said one or more reflected pulsed light beams provide enhanced irradiation in the desired wavelength spectrum at substantially said entire testing surface of said target compared to the irradiation provided by said one or more primary pulsed light beams alone. 
     
     
       7. The pulsed solar simulator of  claim 6  wherein said one or more respective spectral filters comprise long pass spectral filters that pass light having a wavelength greater than 1000 nm, wherein said one or more reflected pulsed light beams provide enhanced irradiation greater than 1000 nm at substantially said entire testing surface of said target compared to the irradiation provided by said one or more primary pulsed light beams alone. 
     
     
       8. The pulsed solar simulator of  claim 6  further comprising a baffle positioned in between said flashlamp and said target such that the baffle reduces the intensity of said one or more primary pulsed light beams directed toward said target. 
     
     
       9. The pulsed solar simulator of  claim 6  wherein substantially said entire testing surface of said target is irradiated with an irradiance having a spectral intensity simulating sun light at approximately one AM 0  in the spectral region from 400 nm to 1800 nm. 
     
     
       10. The pulsed solar simulator of  claim 1  further comprising a solar panel located a distance from said flashlamp, wherein said solar panel comprises said target and includes said testing surface. 
     
     
       11. A method of solar simulation for testing photovoltaic solar cells comprising: 
       producing one or more primary pulsed light beams having wavelengths comprising 400 nm to 1800 nm emitted toward a target and one or more secondary pulsed light beams having the wavelengths comprising 400 nm to 1800 nm emitted away from the target;  
       directing the one or more primary pulsed light beams toward substantially an entire testing surface of a target;  
       directing each of the one or more secondary pulsed light beams toward substantially the entire testing surface of the target; and  
       irradiating substantially the entire surface of the target with the one or more primary pulsed light beams and the one or more secondary pulsed light beams, wherein the one or more secondary pulsed light beams provide enhanced irradiation at substantially the entire testing surface of the target compared to the Irradiation provided by the one or more primary pulsed light beams alone.  
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  wherein the target comprises a solar panel located a distance from said flashlamp, wherein said solar panel includes the testing surface. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11  further comprising reducing the intensity of said one or more primary pulsed light beams. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11  wherein said irradiating substantially the entire testing surface of target comprises irradiating substantially the entire testing surface of said target, wherein said one or more primary pulsed light beams and said one or more secondary pulsed light beams have a spatial uniformity of less than or equal to ±2%. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11  further comprising filtering said one or more secondary pulsed light beams into a desired range of wavelengths, wherein said one or more secondary pulsed light beams provide enhanced irradiation in the desired range of wavelengths at substantially said entire testing surface of said target. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  wherein said filtering comprises filtering said one or more secondary pulsed light beams into wavelengths greater than 1000 nm. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  wherein said irradiating provides an irradiance having a spectral intensity simulating sun light at approximately one AM 0  at wavelengths from 400 nm to 1800 nm. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11  wherein said directing comprises uniformly directing the one or more secondary pulsed light beams toward substantially the entire testing surface of the target.